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Over the next month, top swimmers will be competing across the globe in events like the 2015 Pan Am Games, 2015 World Championships and 2015 U.S. Nationals. We asked some of the world’s best swimmers to tell us what they keep in their bags for any important meet!

The new year is often a chance to get your feet wet (pun intended) in a new fitness routine. If you haven't already taken the plunge into the sport of swimming, now is a great time to start. Here's why;

1. Swimming is a low-impact, whole-body exercise. This is especially great for retired athletes with prior injuries, older folks looking to stay in shape, or avid runners looking for a recovery workout.

by Jarrod Shoemaker, 2008 Olympian

Once upon a time, nutrition was simple, people ate what they could forage for. Then we domesticated some plants, agriculture came along and we started to grow staple crops like wheat, corn and beans. Soon massive farms were producing food to be shipped all around the world. Now all we have to do is walk or drive to the grocery store (or order online) and select the foods we want. It is so much simpler today than it was… or is it?

Walking up and down the grocery store aisles can be a mind-numbing task, with an average grocery store stocking 43,844 different items! This is very comparable to the current sports nutrition market. Looking at every brand can be quite a task and trying to figure out what they are for can be even harder.

The simplest way to break sports nutrition down is into four categories: bars, chews,gels and mixes. My goal is to give you a simple primer to help you make sense of it all, regardless of what sport you do – but of course, keep in mind I always come from the angle of an endurance athlete.

The latest installment of our series about training features Arena athlete Laura Sogar.

Leave a question or comment for Laura below by May 5 11:59PM, and you will be entered to win a pair of the Arena COBRA goggles.

1) We all know getting in the pool can be a struggle some days, what keeps you motivated on days like this?

I will be the first to admit how hard getting up for those 5:30 morning workouts can be but thinking about my competition and if they are working hard that morning always gets me motivated to make sure I am not losing out on any training time. It helps that I always end up having fun with my teammates once I am at workout and any of that initial desire not to go is quickly forgotten when we are laughing during warmup.

2) What does the inside of your swim bag look like- do you have a favorite practice suit, type of goggle, or training accessory?

I really really love my arena challenge back suit, I wear them every single day at workout and they’re super comfortable and flattering. As far as equipment goes I cannot do without my kickboard. Kicking is a huge part of my stroke so I spend a lot of quality time with my board doing kick sets. I also am getting really into yoga so at a meet you can often see me with my yoga block stretching out before warmup.

Preparing for your first triathlon

by Jarrod Shoemaker

So, you’ve decided to give triathlons a shot? Or maybe thinking about “tri”ing it out? Well, let me tell you that triathlons are not as crazy of an event as some people make them out to be. Whether you are coming from a single sport background in swimming, biking or running, or coming from another sport entirely, the key is becoming comfortable enough in all three sports.

The first step towards getting ready for your first triathlon is to pick a race! I would suggest starting with a small local sprint distance race, instead of a larger or longer race. By starting small you will be able to focus on enjoying the experience. I have seen many people pick longer distance races as their first races, not realizing the commitment they need to just complete an event like that. I would suggest a sprint distance race with legs under 750 meter swim, 13 mile bike and 4 mile run.

Until just a few years ago compression socks were confined to hospitals and rehab units for use in post-surgery, diabetes and people who needed to stimulate blood flow. The few athletes who used compression socks used them to combat dreaded “cankles” (pooling of blood in the feet and ankles during prolonged periods of sitting) on long-haul flights. Then suddenly, athletes were wearing compression socks in racing, from 5Ks to marathons to triathlons.

Since the increase in popularity of compression garments began, there have been numerous studies to determine how effective compression socks and sleeves are. Generally, the majority of the studies have come to the conclusion that they do not increase performance. But just because they don’t directly impact performance, doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of other good reasons to use or try compression clothing.